I've come to like my Q with little to no sauce and put whatever on myself. There were a couple of places out my way (45 mi. west of Chicago) that were good but the best died when the owner played hanky panky with the books and wound up in jail. Don't have anything worthy now.

They're pretty smart fellers over at LTH. With a list that size, you're going to have way more places to skip than to visit. Most of the southside joints listed will be using the aquarium smokers. I'd pick one or two of those places just so you can see them in action. Then I'd fill out the list based on merit, regardless of what kind of smoker they're using.

They're pretty smart fellers over at LTH. With a list that size, you're going to have way more places to skip than to visit. Most of the southside joints listed will be using the aquarium smokers. I'd pick one or two of those places just so you can see them in action. Then I'd fill out the list based on merit, regardless of what kind of smoker they're using.

I'll be there in one more month. Smoque didn't make the cut. I have no doubt they're putting out good barbecue but after watching the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu-oobRhesU where they pour liquid smoke in the beans, use cloves in the rub and bake the meats in a Southern Pride oven, I'm not interested. RL

It would be sacrilege in competition cooking, but for large quantities of restaurant 'Que, at least here in the big city, those commercial units are a necessity. Barbecue is defined as large cuts of meat cooked low and slow with hardwood smoke. The Cookshack and Southern Pride units provide just that. The fact that gas is part of the heat source has no bearing on the quality of the end product.

I understand your interest in the aquarium smokers, and if all you want is to visit places that still use them, you'll have plenty of greasehouses to hit. But bear in mind, just because a 'Que joint uses an aquarium smoker, it doesn't mean they'll put out the best Barbecue, and just because someplace else uses a gas powered unit, it doesn't de-legitimize the quality of their product.

Still, I'd be interested in meeting up with you for at least part of this journey once you've announced the actual dates of your visit.

It would be sacrilege in competition cooking, but for large quantities of restaurant 'Que, at least here in the big city, those commercial units are a necessity. Barbecue is defined as large cuts of meat cooked low and slow with hardwood smoke. The Cookshack and Southern Pride units provide just that. The fact that gas is part of the heat source has no bearing on the quality of the end product.

I understand your interest in the aquarium smokers, and if all you want is to visit places that still use them, you'll have plenty of greasehouses to hit. But bear in mind, just because a 'Que joint uses an aquarium smoker, it doesn't mean they'll put out the best Barbecue, and just because someplace else uses a gas powered unit, it doesn't de-legitimize the quality of their product.

Still, I'd be interested in meeting up with you for at least part of this journey once you've announced the actual dates of your visit.

Buddy

Well, actually, there is no one true definition of barbeque. And secondly, a trained palate can differentiate meats cooked over pure hardwood as a heat source as opposed to a gas/wood combo. That being said, I've had some fine que from gas/wood units. But there is a difference and I like my que the traditional way, wood only and judge's at any decent competition will agree!

I've had great "barbecue" from gas oven powered smokers. Peter's BBQ in Ellinger Texas is a prime example. That guy really gets the maximum out of his Southern Pride. I just had to have a limiting factor to the tour. Gas powered cookery is an easy way to eliminate a bunch of places. I'd probably love them, no doubt they're putting out tender meat but this trip is going to be full old-school.

Never mind that the poster doesn't bother to give any reasons for that opinion, or try to defend his/her point of view. Just a simple statement of "fact" (at least in the poster's mind). How can you argue with that?

Now, I won't even try to say that Chicago is a "Barbecue Town" like Kansas City or places in Texas and South Carolina (notice who I left out...think 3 Olives will take the bait?), but we do have a handful of good greaehouses with a lot of history.

Care to tell the world your tale of Barbecue woe and why you hold our city's smoked meats in such contempt?

When I was last in Chicago, we went to the Weber Grill just for the novelty of the place. Sat at the "grill side" bar watching the q'ers do their thing. Fun spot.

That said, we each had a steak and they were not so great, however we did split a "barbeque trio" appetizer of beer can chicken, ribs and something else. It was a GREAT app platter and the ribs were fantastic. Don't know what sauce they used, but it was sublime.

Never mind that the poster doesn't bother to give any reasons for that opinion, or try to defend his/her point of view. Just a simple statement of "fact" (at least in the poster's mind). How can you argue with that?

Now, I won't even try to say that Chicago is a "Barbecue Town" like Kansas City or places in Texas and South Carolina (notice who I left out...think 3 Olives will take the bait?), but we do have a handful of good greaehouses with a lot of history.

Care to tell the world your tale of Barbecue woe and why you hold our city's smoked meats in such contempt?

Buddy

There are many styles of Q and I really enjoy studying the various styles. Here in the south, you can go 30 miles from where you are and there's a different style. I compete in small local competitions and sometimes mix the styles up a little. Sometimes what I think is great, the judges, not so much! For instance, if you go to Columbus, GA it's a mix between standard GA style and AL mustard sauce, which is totally different than SC mustard sauce! I like it all, and when I'm in Chicago, I'll certainly check it out!

It’s apparently a safe bet to say that a lot of homes accept a canteen or three of barbecue booze in the refrigerator. What easier bowl is there in the summer than barbecued chicken? Simply slather on some sauce, arch out to the barbecue and banquet is served.

But accept you anytime looked at a barbecue booze label? A lot of brands account top fructose blah abstract as the aboriginal additive and accommodate bags of sodium. Our guidelines for this analysis were simple: no top fructose blah abstract or bogus colors in the additive list, beneath than 300 milligrams of sodium and 12 grams or beneath carbohydrate per serving. The affliction blackmailer I begin on our bounded bazaar shelves had 540 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, two types of amoroso and bogus colors. Luckily we begin several convalescent options.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________"If you put a spoonful of wine in a barrel full of sewage, you get sewage. If you put a spoonful of sewage in a barrel full of wine, you get sewage.- Schopenhauer's Law of Entropy"

“Lines out the door” attest that this Northwest Side BYO has “achieved BBQ perfection” in the form of “outrageous”, “smoky” brisket “bursting with flavor”, “the best” “juicy” ribs and “equally good” sides that “blow other joints out of the water”; it’s “truly a dive” with eaters packed in at “community tables”, but “friendly” staffers “manage the crowds well” (the “table juggling is fascinating”) and it’s “cheap to boot”, so the “addicted” dub it “worth any wait, in any weather.” its no wonder smoque bbq is the best bbq shaq in chicago !unolck any of your phones at unlockatt.com !!

I'd recall that Top 10 list if I were you; it's less than authoritative or accurate.

For starters, it lists Smoque BBQ twice; once in the number one spot and again in the tenth place.

Secondly, it lists Twin Anchors and Fireplace Inn as Barbecue places. Both those restaurants may serve ribs, but neither one of them serves Barbecue (i.e., Meat that is slow cooked using low heat and wood smoke).

Thirdly, Aloha Grill, while it might be a very good restaurant, has nothing to do with Barbecue. They appear to specialize in regional Hawaiian dishes, including plate lunches and grilled (not Barbecue) chicken. Again, it may be a good restaurant; not a 'Que joint.

This isn't a matter of me disagreeing with the quality of the choices on the list. This is me saying the list has no relevance to Barbecue in Chicago or anywhere else. It's like putting up a Top 10 list of best delicatessens and putting Stroud's, Prince's, and Bon Ton Mini Mart on the list. They may serve great fried chicken, but they ain't got nuthin' to do with deli food.

In future, you might want to vet your lists a bit more carefully before you post them.